Youth Hockey League is a recreation level ice hockey program for boys and girls, ages 6-16, to promote fair play, sportsmanship, cooperation, teamwork, and physical fitness. FUN is the primary goal of the program, while at the same time encouraging the skill development of all players. Equal ice time and equal opportunity to play, regardless of the game situation, are the cornerstones of the program.

Before playing in Youth Hockey league, beginning level players are required to first complete the
Learn-to-Play Hockey program. Players must have basic skating skills before participating in Learn-to-Play Hockey and may first need to complete one semester of a Learn-to-Skate program at your local rink.

Each of the 3 Salt Lake County ice facilities operates their own Learn-to-Play Hockey program.

The regular season begins in mid-September and runs until mid-late March, generally with 1 game and 1 practice per week. Most games are on Saturdays, with occasional games on Friday early evenings. Game times vary, depending on the game locations. Practices days and times may vary, depending on your home rink, generally practices are on weeknights. There is a 1 week break in the league for Thanksgiving and about a 2 week break during the Christmas/New Years holidays.

There is also a 6-week Spring Skills Clinic program that runs mid-April until late May and a 6-week Summer 3-on-3 program that runs early June until late July.

Youth Hockey is a county wide, rink based program. Each of the 3 Salt Lake County Ice facilities operates their own branch of the program. You sign up for the program at the rink of your choice. This will be your home rink. ALL practices take place at your home rink. Approximately half your games will be played at your home rink and the rest will be played at the other 2 county ice rinks (road games) against teams in the same age division based at the other rinks.

A hockey season, as defined and established by USA Hockey, runs September 1 through August 31. You register for each individual season according to the age your child will be on December 31 of that season.

For example, if you are registering for the 2017-18 season, and your child is 9 years old as of December 31, 2017 (meaning his/her 9th birthday occurs on or before December 31, 2017), you will register as a Squirt (9-10 year olds).

If your child is 4 and will turn 5 by December 31, you may register for the fall or winter semester of Learn-to-Play. Consequently, as your child will turn 6 by next December 31, register as a Mite in the league program. If your child is 4 and will not turn 5 by December 31, you may participate in the Learn-to-Skate program to develop more skating skills, until he-she is old enough for participation in Learn-to-Play Hockey.

Due to the large disparity in skills between a typical recreation level player and a travel team player, advanced players who are currently rostered on a travel team are not permitted to participate in the program. Please see the
Travel Level Players Policy for more information.

There is some equipment that is also required for the Learn-to-Play Hockey program. As a result, you may already have much of what you need for the league program after your participation in Learn-to-Play.

In addition, the County Ice Center in Murray operates a Used Skate & Equipment Exchange annually in late August. This is an opportunity to purchase quality used equipment for a good price.
Email to inquire about that event.

For more information about other places to obtain equipment, please see the
Contact page to make contact with a league administrator at your home rink.